How to Post
Basics of Posting | Guide To Simming By E-mail
Basics of Posting:
This section only informs you on the layout of posting on this sim. However, this is very important information! If you don't post in the proper format the CO will point you to this section.
For more and in depth information on how to sim, see the Guide To Simming By E-mail
Skip ahead to the description of novel and style posting.
When starting your post you have two options: you can start with an "OFF:" section or go right to the "ON:" section.
An "OFF:" section is a part of your post in which you can write pretty much anything you want. It can have absolutely nothing to do with what's happing in the story, within regulations, if you like. Use it to talk outside the story with other crew members if you like. Use it to comment about something in the story that you feel needs more explaining. Whatever!
An "ON:" section is *required* in your post. This is the section in which you add to the ongoing story. For an explination on how the content of this section is written see the links below on the two styles you have the option of chosing from to write like (novel or script). Do NOT mix styles in your post!
When ending your post you are *required* to put an "OFF:" section in which you sign your post. You can put more in this "OFF:" section and end it with your signature, or just put your signature. Your signature consists of at least your character rank and name. You can either just sign it simply like that:
-Commander Victoria Concord
Or you can sign it with a banner signature, which contains your character rank and name, your position, and the name of the sim:
*****************************
Commmander Victoria Concord
Commanding Officer
Deep Space 15
*****************************
There are two different styles of how to post on this sim. Novel and Script. The CO prefers people to use novel style, and you will see the novel style used most often, but script style is also allowed.
As a note: Novel style is usually written in the past tense, while script style is always written in the present tense.
Novel style posting | Script sytle posting
Novel style posting:
Ever read a book? A magazine? Then you've seen how novel style posting looks! When characters speak, their words are put in double quotes: "Hey! I'm talking here!". Otherwise actions taken and descriptions are written out in paragraphs.
On a sim, you should sperate your paragraphs by double spacing (which shows up as a blank line between paragraphs), like how the paragraphs on this website are seperated, so that you can see at just a glance where a new paragraph starts. The reason for this is that a tab does not usually come through intact in everybody's e-mails.
Also, a new paragraph should be started every time a person different from the one who just spoke begins talking. Plus, everytime a new idea is written about, a new paragraph is warrented.
Otherwise, here are the conventions this sim uses:
Speech is put in quotes: "Hey! I'm talking here!"
Thoughts are put in parenthesis: (Hey! I'm thinking here!)
Location, time, scene changes are put in curly brackets: {Hey! This next section takes place in London, at 2300 hours}
Someone who is not in the curreny location speaking through a communicator or comm system is put in communication symbols: =/\=Hey! I'm not here but you can still hear me!=/\=
Putting it all together:
ON: {Turbolift, 0659 hours}
"Hey! I'm talking here!" Character 1 announced.
Character 2 coughed. "Yeah, you're always saying something..."
"That's not a very nice thing to say," Character 1 said, sticking out his tounge at Character 2.
Just then the turbolift came to a halt and the doors opened. Character 1 and Character 2 stepped off.
As Character 1 started walking away, he waved at Character 2. "Well, see you later!"
(I hope much later,) Character 2 grimaced inwardly.
=/\=Character 3 to Character 2. What's your ETA?=/\= Character 2's communication badge suddenly rang out.
OFF: That's all for now!
-My Character Rank and Name
Script sytle posting:
Ever read a television script? A movie or stage script? Then you've seen how script sytle posting looks! However, if you're like the rest of us, here's the format:
-When a character speaks a new paragraph is started with the character's name followed by a colon (:) and the the words.
-When a character acts, the description of what the character does is put in parenthesis.
-When something is being written that is not speech or a character's action, a new paragraph is started and the description is simply written out.
-As with novel style, Location, time, scene changes are put in curly brackets
Putting it all together:
ON: {Turbolift, 0659 hours}
Character 1: Hey! I'm talking here!
Character 2: (coughs) Yeah, you're always saying something...
Character 1: That's not a very nice thing to say. (sticks out tounge at Character 2)
The turbolift comes to a halt and the doors open.
Character 1 and Character 2: (step off turbolift)
Character 1: Well, see you later! (waves and walks away)
Character 2: (thinks: I hope much later.)
Character 3: (speaking through comm system) Character 3 to Character 2. What's your ETA?
OFF: That's all for now!
-My Character Rank and Name
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